Needing to create a dropdown list in Excel. The DataList needs to be a separate document (that doesnt need to be open for the list to function) that I will be editing and changing at various times.

I cant seem to figure out how to tell excel to look for the DataList document even when its closed. Everything works great with the DataList open, but once I close it the drop down no longer drops down...

Please help!

I think what Im trying to do is impossible...anyone?

Why does the datalist have to be in another ( closed) workbook?

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you can have data validation pull information from another work book but both work books have to be open to work
http://blog.contextures.com/archives...rent-workbook/

You can use a workaround to do this:
create a new sheet, then create a data list linked to Data list workbook.
Link data validation list to this sheet list. You can hide this sheet now, if you want, if the data list workbook is closed, you will have the last values in your hidden sheet. Whenever you open datalist workbook, links will be updated.

yeah I read the contextures blog and a few others. im pretty sure Excel cannot do this function.

The idea was to have a list in a separate document that would be used as reference for 200+ other documents. THis list MOST LIKELY wont be changed but in the event that it is, I dont want to have to change each one individually.

Have you tried to use that new sheet linked to datalist worhbook?
It is not hard to copy that linked sheet in all needed workbooks...